The GoJet Airlines Blog

Category: Wingman Internship Program

The path to flying commercially can be daunting, especially for student pilots who are just starting to earn their hours. That’s why GoJet offers collegiate aviators a streamlined pathway to a First Officer position at GoJet. Our Wingman internship program identifies promising pilots while they’re still in flight school and gives them a behind the scenes look at what to expect when they land their first commercial airline job. Plus, our pilot mentors walk participants through the process of becoming a GoJet pilot upon completion of ATP minimums.

One of the student pilots currently benefiting from the program is Mario Otchere. The son of Ghanaian immigrants , Mario is currently a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and working on a Master’s Degree in Aviation Safety at Saint Louis University. Mario’s aviation aspirations began at a very early age, and his parents were very supportive of his goal to become a pilot. “My dad especially loved the idea,” he remarked. “He shared the same dream, but he never had the opportunity to fulfill it himself.”

Being the first pilot in his family, his parents had no airline or flight training connections to start him on the right path. “We basically just kind of shot in the dark,” Mario recalls. After training in Dubuque, Iowa, Mario and his family quickly learned how expensive it could be to become a pilot. Mario learned about the Wingman program when researching programs that offset the cost of flight training. “At the time,” he confessed, “all I knew about GoJet was that it was a small airline in St. Louis. It stood out because it wasn’t one of the major airlines that are often pushed onto students when they’re beginning to formulate their career goals.”

Since beginning the program in 2016, Mario has taken full advantage of everything it has to offer, including pass travel benefits and advance training opportunities. “I’ve had the opportunity to view and experience some of the same things as line pilots, and have even spent some time in the simulator.” Now that he’s had a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to be a GoJet pilot, he’s ready to become one.

“My goal is the be in the right seat of a GoJet CRJ in 12 to 20 months. I look forward to the pay, as well as the quick upgrade time. Both will really help me pay off my student loans.”

Mario is confident that his experience as a Wingman will pay off down the road in his aviation career. “The Wingman program has given me an in-depth feel as to how an airline operates,” he remarked. I already have a strong foot in the door with GoJet, and with everything I’ve learned, I’ll be fully prepared for training.”

If you’re an ambitious, career-minded student pilot looking to get a head start on your commercial aviation career, then this program is for you. Click here to get started.

Full motion simulator time and a provisional letter of employment before you even finish your flight training? It sounds too good to be true, but that’s exactly what the GoJet Airlines Wingman program offers. This semester-long internship identifies promising pilots while they’re still in flight school and gives them a behind the scenes look at what to expect when they land their first commercial airline job.

The Wingman internship includes a two-day visit to GoJet’s corporate headquarters in St. Louis, where participants have the opportunity to talk with new pilots who are actually in systems training, as well as sit in on a new hire class to get a feel for what their training will be like. Students are also exposed to the departments within our Ops Center that they’ll interact with when flying the line, including Dispatch, Crew Scheduling and Maintenance Control. Best of all, the Wingman interns have the opportunity to fly in a full-motion CRJ simulator.

Wingman interns are also eligible for limited jumpseat privileges on GoJet, giving them the rare opportunity to observe a commercial flight from the flight deck. “Definitely the most valuable experience that I’ve had as part of the Wingman Program has been jumpseating on a revenue flight from St. Louis to Chicago,” said Adam Bos, an aviation student at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a current Wingman intern. “Watching a professional crew operate was an impressive and rewarding experience.”

Even after finishing an aviation degree or flight school, most student pilots still must build a significant amount of flight time before they’re eligible to apply with a commercial airline. However, once they earn their hours, Wingman participants are spared the stress of looking for a job, as they receive a provisional offer of employment upon completion of their internship. They also receive early access to GoJet training materials, which means that can they start studying for our training program while they’re still earning their hours, increasing their chances of success.

If you’re an ambitious student pilot who wants to get a head start on your commercial aviation career, get in touch with one of our pilot recruiters. For contact information, complete program eligibility requirements and a current list of affiliate schools, please click here.

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